Harold Chapman Online Retrospective of the Photographic Oeuvre in 24 Parts (15/24)

Courtesy of R. Goellnitz and R. Madera-Goellnitz, ©Photos by Harold Chapman ©Text by the Authors

Harold Chapman
The Beat Hotel, Paris – The stair well. Owing to the less stringent laws in force at the time, the smoking of hashish and marijuana was, among some of the residents, a social activity like any other. The distinctive smell would day or night, drift from the ill-fitting doors. Silver Gelatin Print (Resin), Size15 ⅝ by 10 ⅝” on 16×12”, signed. Published in Harold Chapman – The Beat Hotel, page 85 and Harold Chapman – Beats A Paris, page 43

Please find a brief introduction about the retrospective at part 01

Harold Chapman
The Beat Hotel, Paris – Madame Rachou presides the bar: Robin Page (Canadian painter), Peter Bishop (English journalist), Larry Yampolsky (news-reel camera man), Madame Rachou, Thomas Neurath (Thames & Hudson), Peter Golding (London fashion designer), John Hammer in the Cafe. June 1960. Silver Gelatin Print (Resin), Size 10 ⅝ by 15 ⅜” on 12 by 16”, signed on verso. Published in Harold Chapman – The Beat Hotel, page 74 (top) and Harold Chapman – Beats A Paris, page 40

Harold Chapman
Every Secret Service would have loved Madame Rachou’s sensitive “Light Control Panel”, which faced the cafe bar. Under each switch was an enamel plaque with the room number; above was a fuse in the form of a bulb, which became dimmer or brighter according to the electricity being used in the room, thus enabling Madame Rachou to spy, and keep a tight control of her hotel guests’ energy use. Silver Gelatin Print (Resin), Size 7 ⅜” by 11” on 8 by 11 ⅝””, signed on verso. Published in Harold Chapman – The Beat Hotel, page 78 and Harold Chapman – Beats A Paris, page 42

Harold Chapman
The Beat Hotel, Paris – Room 29, Burroughs’ old room. When he left, Harold moved in. His work bench, a collage. His first poster picture: Petula Clarke’s face pasted on an open door. The lampshade, a salad basket scavenged from a dust bin. The folders on the table are the beginnings of his documentation of ‘les Halles’, Paris and ‘everyday life’ in France. Silver Gelatin Print (Resin), Size 7 ⅝ by 11 ¾” on 8 by 11 3/4”, signed on verso. Published in Harold Chapman – Beats A Paris, page 61 and Harold Chapman – The Beat Hotel, page 138

Harold Chapman
The Beat Hotel, Paris – Mural by ‘Goofey’ Godfrey. After the Beat Hotel had ended, dealers turned up to its new incarnation as the ‘Hotel Du Vieux Paris”, to buy the artwork on the walls. Unfortunately there was none: The walls had been scraped and re-plastered and covered with flowered wallpaper by Monsieur and Madame Laigle, the new owners. Silver Gelatin Print (Fiber), Size 6 ⅛ by 4 ¼” on 7 by 5”, signed on verso. Published in Harold Chapman – The Beat Hotel, page 115 (left) and Harold Chapman – Beats A Paris, page 64

Harold Chapman
The Beat Hotel, Paris. 9, Rue Gît-Le-Cœur in 1958 – the hotel with no name: “The Beat Hotel”, “Madame Rachou’s Maison de Fous”, The Flea Bag Shrine”… An unlike venue for the meeting of the soon-to-be-world-famous. Silver Gelatin Print (Resin), Size 10 ⅝ by 15 ⅜” on 12 by 16”, signed on verso. Published in Harold Chapman – Beats A Paris, page 38

We appreciate your interest in the work of Harold Chapman and encourage you to contact us, if you have any questions.

Cordially,

Rolf Goellnitz and RoxAnn Madera-Goellnitz